Metal bedstead.



No. 791,976. PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905. Y

J. F. BROWN;

METAL BEDSTEAD.- APPLICATION FILED JULY 30,1904.

WITNESSES. INVENTOR. fix Sim sflwl mm 6m 4r LWWSS Nrrnn STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

JOHN FRANKLIN BROWVN, OF KNOXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. J. LOGAN & (30., OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,976, dated June 6, 1905.

Application-filed July 30, 1904. Serial No. 218,913-

l'o LLZZ wltoin it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FRANKLIN BROWN, a resident of Knoxville, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metal Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to metal bedsteads, its object being to provide a strong, durable, and ornamental connection that will hold the bunk or bed frame proper rigidly to the head and foot pieces in such a manner that the parts do not bind, in order that the bed may be put together or taken apart without the use of a hammer or other tools, thereby doing away with the noise and confusion common with the construction now in general use and which is the source of so much annoyance in hospitals, institutions, and private homes.

To these ends my invention comprises the novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a side view of a metal bedstead embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged inner side view showing the connection between the bunk and the head and foot pieces. Fig. 3 is a like view showing the post and hooks disengaged. Fig. 4: is a perspec tive view of the connecting bracket or plate; and Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Like numerals indicate like parts in each of the figures.

In the drawings the numeral 2 indicates a bedstead comprising the head-piece 3, the footpiece at, and the bunk or bed frame proper, 5. The bunk 5 is a rigid unitary structure composed of side rails 6 (shown as angle-bars) and cross rails or pieces 7, (also shown as anglebars.) The side and cross rails may, however, be tubular or of any otherdesired shape.

The side and end rails of the bunk are united Y by means of brackets or plates 8, formed of malleable iron, east-iron, or other suitable material. Each bracket comprises a verticallyarranged plate to form a finished exterior, together with suitable projecting portions for connection to the side and cross rails. The side rails 6 are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to projecting portions 9, comprising two Webs at an angle to each other for connection to the top and side flanges of the anglerails 6. Each bracket is further provided with an in wardly-projecting vertical flange 11 and an inwardly-projecting horizontal flange 12, to which the angle cross rails or pieces 7 are secured. The upper portion of the outer face of the bracket forms a shield 10, which covers up and conceals the connection between the cross-rail 7 and said bracket, as well as the fastening means for the bed fabric, so that said parts are not visible from the side, and also covers up any sharp corners on the ends of the cross-pieces, so that clothing cannot become caught and torn thereon.

The inwardly-projecting flange 11 on the bracket extends downwardly to the bottom thereof. On the inner face of the bracket are also provided lugs 13, having substantially horizontal supporting-faces 13 and inclined faces 14. On the head and foot pieces are provided suitable means for engaging the lugs 13 of the brackets, these means comprising hooks 15, secured to the posts 16 or other portion of the head and foot pieces. As shown in the drawings, these hooks are formed as a part of a semicircular casting 17 or similar sleeve, which is suitably secured to the post. These hooks, however, may be secured to the posts in any other suitable manner. The shanks of these hooks have the substantially horizontal supporting-faces 15, upon which the supporting-faces 13 of the lugs rest. The upturned ends of the hooks are provided with inclined faces 18, which correspond to the inclined faces 14 of the lugs 13 on the brackets 8, and these upturned portions fit snugly between said lugs and the inner face of the vertical flange 11 of the bracket. The parts, however, are so proportioned that the books do not wedge in this space. The weight is carried by the horizontal faces 13 of the lugs resting upon the shanks 15 of the hooks, the upturned ends of the hooks merely serving to prevent the bunk and head and foot pieces becoming disengaged.

Any suitable form of bed-springs or fabric may be employed, that shown in the drawings being a well-known form of fabric having its ends secured to a hooked clip or grooved bar 19, which is adapted to hook over the edge of the top flange 20 of the cross-piece 7. The end of this connecting-clip is covered and concealed by the shield 10 of the bracket.

The form of bracket disclosed not only provides for the connection of the bunk to the head and foot pieces, but it also connects the side and end rails of the bunk and in such a manner as to elevate the springs the proper height above the side rails. In order to set up the bedstead, the lugs 13 on the brackets 8 will merely be brought into position over the hooks 15 and then by lowering the bunk said lugs will come to rest upon the shanks of the hooks with the upturned ends of the latter projecting up inside of the lugs to prevent accidental disengagement of the parts. The parts can only be disengaged by lifting upwardly on the bunk.

The weight is supported at the horizontal faces of the lugs and hooks, and as a consequence the parts do not bind or wedge, so as to make it necessary to hammer u 'iwardly on the bunk to dislodge the parts. This does away with all the noise, confusion, and labor which is due to the wedging devices heretofore commonly employed for connecting the side rails and end pieces. ith prior devices these parts become so wedged together that hammering or jarring had to be resorted to in order to disengage the parts. By my construction the operation of connecting and disconnectingis practically noiseless, as the parts do not wedge together.

Ni th metallic bunks the tension of the fabric is liable to bring the parts out of true, and as a consequence the brackets are liable to tip or cant out of a true vertical position, either laterally or longitudinally of the bed, or both. By having the supporting-lugs 13 projecting from one side of the bracket instead of located between two parallel plates the parts can be readily connected and disconnected, even though the bracket should not be in proper vertical position. The parts do not have to fit accurately, and the lugs projecting from one side of the bracket and being entirely free on their opposite side will enable at least one of said lugs to properly engage its hook.

What I claim is 1. In a metal bedstead, the combination of a bunk composed of side and end rails and corner-connecting brackets, projecting lugs on the inner face only of said brackets, said lugs being provided with horizontal supporting-faces, and inclined inner faces end pieces, and connecting means on said end pieces provided with horizontal supporting-faces upon which the lugs of the brackets bear with their horizontal faces, said connecting means having portions projecting upwardly inside of the lugs to hold the parts against disengagement, said upwardly-projecting portions having inclined faces which cooperate with the inclined faces of the lugs.

2. In a metal bedstead, the combination of a bunk composed of side and end rails and corner-connecting brackets, projecting lugs on the inner faces only of said brackets, vertical flanges on the inner faces of said brackets adjacent to said lugs, end pieces, connecting means on said end pieces provided with supporting-faces upon which the lugs of the brackets rest and having portions projecting upwardly between the lugs and the vertical flange on the brackets and of less thickness than the space between said lugs and flange.

3. In a metal bedstead, the combination of a bunk composed of side and end rails and corner-connecting brackets, project-ing lugs on the inner faces only of said brackets, said lugs having horizontal supporting-faces, vertical flanges on the inner faces of said brackets adjacent to said lugs, end pieces, and connecting means on said end pieces provided with horizontal supporting-faces upon which the lugs of the brackets bear with their horizontal faces and having portions projecting upwardly between the lugs and vertical flanges on the brackets and of less thickness than the space between said lugs and flange.

4. In a metal bedstead, the combination of a bunk composed of side and end rails and cornerconnecting brackets, a fabric connected to the end rails of said bunk, projecting lugs on the inner faces only of said brackets, said lugs being provided with horizontal supporting-faces, and inclined inner faces end pieces, and connecting means on said end pieces provided with horizontal supportingfaces upon which the lugs of the brackets bear with their horizontal faces, said connecting means having portions projecting upwardly inside of the lugs to hold the parts against disengagement, said upwardly-projecting portions having inclined faces which cooperate with the inclined inner faces of the lugs.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN FRANKLIN BROWN, have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN FRANKLIN l-iROlV N.

WVitnesses:

Roenn'r. C. TOTTEN, G. (J. RAYMOND. 

